Is Kain able to make a decent remaster?
Celebrate Soul Reaver’s 25th Anniversary Experience the epic conflict of Kain and Raziel in original form or with remastered graphics. Experience the Legendary Narrative Centuries after your former master, Kain, betrays and executes you, you rise again and embark on a relentless quest for revenge. Wield the Powers of a Wraith Slay your former vampire brethren with your claws, bolts of telekinetic energy, and the elemental Wraith Blade. Grow stronger by devouring the souls of your enemies. Shift Between Realms The Elder God has granted you the ability to shift between the Spectral and Material Realms. Traverse the realms to solve puzzles, reveal new paths, and defeat your foes.
Confession time. I have never played a Legacy of Kain game before. I know. It’s shocking when I think about it, but it’s one of those games that I always wanted to play, but never got around to. So this is finally the time for me to see what all the fuss is about…
I honestly didn’t know much about the series other than what my friends at school told me back in the day, but it was pretty hard to visualise so again, I didn’t really know what to expect here. Would I be disappointed by the hype that was given to me as a kid or would I finally see what I was missing out on?
It’s hard to say, if I’m being honest. It definitely feels like a product of its time, even with the QoL changes. I was impressed with the story, voice-acting and the effort that Aspyr have made to update the visuals and controls. The combat does feel a bit clunky and repetitive, while the platforming can feel a bit archaic. I’m pleased that they’ve tried to make it more accessible with the Quality of Life changes though…
I was impressed with the puzzle elements, especially shifting between realms but I feel like it’s definitely more of a love letter to fans, instead of an attempt at bringing in a new audience. That’s not a bad thing by any means and it isn’t like its unplayable for newcomers, it just requires a bit of effort on their part.
There are also some nice new features like a photo mode, a map and compass for the first time and even content that never made it into the original games including lost levels that contains 4 areas that are either missing textures or are unfinished. Its definitely a nice amount of content for hardcore fans.
The visual upgrade is a nice one when compared with the original game. I didn’t come across any glitches through my playthrough and load times are short. Voice-acting is impressive, while the soundtrack delivers well too.
The Verdict
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1-2 Remastered is a must-have for fans of the series. It not only spruces up the visuals, but adds new content and quality of life changes to improve the overall experience. It may feel a bit too dated for some, but if you can get past that and give it a chance, you’ll find yourself enjoying some of the PS1 and PS2’s greatest games.